Watch-case with a watertight winding crown

ABSTRACT

A WATCH-CASE WITH A WATERTIGHT WINDING CROWN, IN WHICH THE CROWN HAS A THREADED PORTION CAPABLE OF ENGAGING, AS IT IS MOVED AXIALLY, THE TAPPING OF A NUT GUIDED IN AN OPENING OF THE WATCH-CASE AND HAVING A FIXED AXIAL POSITION, ROTATION OF SAID NUT RESULTING, ON THE ONE HAND, IN DISPLACING THE CROWN INWARDLY WITHOUT CAUSING IT TO ROTATE ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS, WHILE COMPRESSING AT LEAST ONE GASKET AGAINST A SHOULDER OF THE WATCH-CASE, AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, IN LOCKING THE CROWN IN ITS INNER POSITION, THE CROWN HEAD, HAVING A NONCIRCULAR PERIPHERY, BEING ENGAGED AT LEAST PARTIALLY IN A NONCIRCULAR CUT-OUT PART OF THE WATCHCASE.

Oct. 26, 1971 H. WIDMER ETAL WATCH-CASE WITH A WATERTIGHI' WINDING CROWN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1969 INVENTORS HANS WIDMER PETER AEsi A'CtY6.

Oct. 26, 1971 H. WIDMER E'VILAVL 3,614,865

WATCH-CASE WITH A WATERTIGHT WINDING CROWN Filed Sept. 24, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 73 7 3 15 M19 Z I 1'5 18 2 FIGH- INVENTORS HA NS w: 0 M E R PETER AEBi BY MVLQ At 'rs.

United States Patent Office 3,614,865 Patented Oct. 26, 1971 U.S. CI. 58-90 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A watch-case with a watertight winding crown, in which the crown has a threaded portion capable of engaging, as it is moved axially, the tapping of a nut guided in an opening of the watch-case and having a fixed axial position, rotation of said nut resulting, on the one hand, in displacing the crown inwardly without causing it to rotate about its own axis, while compressing at least one gasket against a shoulder of the watch-case, and, on the other hand, in locking the crown in its inner position, the crown head, having a noncircular periphery, being engaged at least partially in a noncircular cut-out part of the watch- The present invention relates to a watch-case with a watertight winding crown, which is characterized in that the crown has a threaded portion capable of engaging, as it is moved axially, the tapping of a nut guided in an opening of the watch-case and having a fixed axial position, a further rotation of said nut resulting, on the one hand, in displacing the crown inwardly without causing it to rotate about its own axis, while compressing at least one gasket against a shoulder of the watch-case, and, on the other hand, in locking the crown in its inner position, the crown head, having a noncircular periphery, then being engaged at least partially in a noncircular cut-out part of the watch-case.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, an embodiment and two modifications of the watch-case of the invention. There is shown in the drawings only what is necessary for an understanding of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of the watch-case of said embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an elevational end view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view thereof, the crown being in the winding position.

FIG. 4 is a similar cross-sectional view, the crown being in its inner or locked position.

FIGS. 5 and 6 represent modified embodiments.

The case-band of the watch-case 1 has a bore receiving the winding stem 2 and the winding crown described hereinafter. Said bore is stepped and includes an outer portion 3 of a large diameter, a middle portion 4- of a smaller diameter and an inner portion 5 of a still smaller diameter.

The winding crown consists of three parts, viz a head 6 having at least one plane surface plane and parallel to the axis of the crown, a threaded portion 7 and a stepped cylindrical body 8. The head 6 may be hexagonal, for instance, as illustrated. The threaded portion 7 is capable of engaging, as it is moved axially inwardly from the position illustrated in FIG. 3', the tapping of a nut 9 guided in an opening of the case-band 1 and having a stationary or fixed axial position. The outer rim 10 of a flange on the nut 9 projects through openings in the caseband 1 and is knurled to permit its actuation from outside the case-band. The nut 9 has cylindrical portion 11 extending axially inwardly from the rim and fitting within the bore portion 3, in order to guide the nut 9. Between the bore portions 3 and 4, the case-band 1 has a shoulder 12 on which is arranged a flat gasket or packing 13 held by a metal ring 14; in a modified embodiment, said ring 14 might be made integral with the case-band 1.

The inner end of the body 8 is provided with an axially disposed blind bore 15 in which is arranged a coil-spring 16. A portion of the bore 15 adjacent its open end is internally threadedand receives an externally threaded connecting member 17 having a bore 18 of square crosssection. The winding stem 2 has a square male portion 19 capable of engaging the bore 18 of the connecting member 17. The coil-spring 16 bears, on the one hand, on the inner end wall of the bore 15 and, on the other hand, on a collar 20 of the winding stem 2. The collar 20 also serves as an axial stop for abutting the connecting member 17, Between the bore portions 4 and 5, the case-band 1 has a shoulder 21 on which is arranged a torus-shaped gasket or packing 22.

A member 23 is fixed to the case-band 1 by means of nonillustrated screws; this arrangement is rendered necessary for permitting putting in place the nut 9.

The bore portion 3 of the case-band 1 is prolonged externally by a cut-out part 24 of a noncircular configuration, which is clearly visible in FIG. 2'.

The dial of the watch is seen at 25 in FIG. 1.

In the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the winding crown is in its winding position. Under the action of the coilspring 16, the head 6 of the crown is maintained at the outside of the cut-out part 24 of the case-band 1 and can, therefore, be freely rotated. The bore 18 of the connecting member 17 is in engagement with the square male portion 19 of the winding stem 2, sothat a rotation of the crown head 6 is transmitted in both directions to the winding stem 2. The gasket 22, slightly compressed radially, prevents moisture from penetrating into the interior of the watch. For setting the hands of the watch, it sufiices to pull the crown head 6 towards the outside, from the winding position, as in a conventional watch.

For locking the winding crown, the head 6 is first pressed axially inwardly so as to bring the threaded portion 7 in engagement with the tapping of the nut 9, and then the nut 9 is rotated in the suitable direction, this resulting in displacing the crown inwardly, until it arrives in the position illustrated in FIG. 4. It should be noted that the crown is displaced axially without rotating about its own axis, since the head 6 enters the cut-out part 24 whose configuration is such (FIG. 2) that it prevents rotation of the crown. In consequence of the axial displacement of the crown, the bore 18 of the connecting member 17 is disengaged from the square male portion 19 of the winding stem 2, and the coil-spring 16 is compressed. The body 8 of the crown compresses the gaskets 13 and 22, and this guarantees an excellent protection against penetration of moisture and dust into the interior of the watch-case. Since the crown does not rotate about its own axis, the gaskets 13 and 22 are not subjected to any shearing stress, so that they have a long working life.

When the crown is in its inner or locked position, the head 6 is at least partially nested in the cut-out part 24, so that there is no risk that it gets caught on the clothes and, in addition, the head 6 is well protected against shocks.

If the nut 9 is rotated in the reverse direction as before, the crown is moved axially outwardly to the position of FIG. 3, or winding position. The threaded portion 7 of the crown leaves the tapping of the nut 9 under the action of the coil-spring 16.

In the modified embodiment of FIG. 5, the shoulder of the body 8 that is adapted to compress the gasket 13 has 3 a bead-shaped projection 26, by means of which a greater compression of the gasket can be obtained.

In the second modification illustrated in FIG. 6, the gasket 13 is replaced by a toroidal gasket 27 and the wall of the body 8 that is adapted to compress said gasket is bevelled as at 28.

The watertight crown described and illustrated offers the advantage that the gaskets are strongly compressed only at the end of the axial motion of the crown. When the crown is to be rotated for a given operation (winding or hand-setting), the gaskets are not compressed axially, so that they are not liable to be damaged. In addition, as already said, these gaskets are not subjected to any shearing stress, since the axial displacement of the crown is not accompanied by any rotation. This crown is particularly intended for divers watches.

What we claim is:

1. A watch-case and crown assembly comprising a watch case and case-band having a bore including an outer portion of greater diameter and an inner portion of lesser diameter with a shoulder therebetween, said case having at least one opening therethrough in communication with said outer bore portion, a nut rotatable within said outer bore portion in substantially fixed axial relation, means connected with said nut and extending outwardly through said opening and accessible externally of said case for rotating said nut, a sealing member seated in said outer bore portion against said shoulder, a crown including a head at the outer end with an adjacent threaded portion cooperative with said nut and at least two body portions of different diameters with a shoulder therebetween, the larger body portion fitting freely within said nut and the smaller body portion extending into said inner bore portion with said body shoulder being engageable with said sealing member, a winding stem in said inner bore portion, said crown and said stem having clutch means which are cooperatively engageable when said crown is moved outwardly of said case, said case-band having a recess in communication with said outer bore portion to receive said crown head when said crown is moved inwardly of said case, and said crown and case having means cooperatively preventing rotation of said crown when it is moved inwardly, whereby said crown may be non-rotatively moved outwardly by rotation of said nut by manipulation of said means until said crown threaded portion is released by said nut and said crown can be moved to its outer limit to engage said clutch means and free said crown head from said recess to enable rotation thereof for rotating said stem, and said crown may be moved inwardly to nest its head in said recess and engage its threaded portion with said nut whereupon rotation of said nut by manipulation of said means non-rotatively moves said crown inwardly to disengage said clutch means and to seat said crown shoulder against said sealing member.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said crown comprises at least one planar guiding surface on said crown head which is parallel to the axis of the crown, and said recess has a planar guiding surface cooperative with said head surface to prevent rotation of said crown. 3i A watch-case according to claim 1, wherein said crown has a blind bore opening through the end of said smaller portion, said crown clutch means surrounding the open end portion of and extending radially inwardly of said blind bore, said stem extending into said blind bore with said stem clutch means adjacent the outer end of said stem, a collar on said stem at the outer end of said stem clutch means engageable with said crown clutch means to limit outward movement of said crown.

4. A watch-case according to claim 3, comprising a spring between said stem collar and the blind end of said bore and normally urging said crown outwardly.

5. A watch-case according to claim 1, wherein said bore has an intermediate portion of a diameter between those of said outer and inner portions with shoulders between each of the adjacent portions, sealing members in said outer and intermediate portions and seated respectively against said shoulders, and said crown having an intermediate body portion between the larger and smaller portions and shoulders between each of the adjacent portions, said intermediate body portion fitting freely in said intermediate bore portion, and said crown shoulders being engageable with said sealing members respectively when said crown is moved to its inner position.

6. A watch-case according to claim 5, wherein said crown has a blind bore opening through the end of said smaller portion, said crown clutch means surrounding the open end portion of and extending radially inwardly of said blind bore, said stem extending into said blind bore with said stem clutch means adjacent the outer end of said stem, a collar on said stem at the outer end of said stern clutch means engageable with said crown clutch means to limit outward movement of said crown.

7. A watch-case according to claim 6, comprising a spring between said stem collar and the blind end of said bore and normally urging said crown outwardly.

8. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein said nut rotating means comprises a flange on said nut extending through said opening and having an exposed rim for rotating said nut.

9. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein said means preventing rotation of said crown comprises matching non-circular configurations of said crown head and said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1885 Church 58-90 B 1/1943 Aegler 5890 B 

